Happy Saturday! Here is your weekly dose of techno-optimism, startup thoughts and ways to improve the world.
TOC and Software. You read the Goal as I suggested last time. You might be wondering how manufacturing insights apply to software development? Clarke Ching wrote the definitive business novel on that topic: Rolling Rocks Downhill. Yes, it's cheesy but also contains some important concepts including the connections between TOC and Agile. (And then if you get interested in the optimal batch size, you can try to calculate it using the formula in Principles of Product Development Flow. Or you can rely on the rule of thumb that your batches are probably too big.)
Crisis Giving and Education. When there is a natural disaster or other humanitarian crisis, we give more money to charity. Often nonprofits face the choice of doing long-term work or crisis response with a focus on immediate needs. What if you can do both? Curious Learning’s literacy software has reached over 50,000 Ukrainian refugees. In a new essay they argue why crisis response should include education and explain how they are doing it.
How to Live. Musician, programmer, author and entrepreneur Derek Sivers’ latest project is even more ambitious. His book How to Live beautifully summarizes 27 different answers to what matters in life. Should you focus on new experiences, or commitment or expertise or independence, or…? Read it and let’s discuss. Which path are you choosing?
Until next week,
Miles